Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-110
§49 Enforcement of Animal Fighting Prohibitions
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 3 — ANIMALS, BIRDS, FISH, AND PLANTS › § 49
Summary
Violating parts of the Animal Welfare Act that ban animal fighting can lead to federal fines, prison, or both. Most such violations can bring up to 5 years in prison for each offense. Going to a fight can bring up to 1 year. Causing someone under 16 to attend can bring up to 3 years.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §49
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In General.—
Whoever violates subsection (a)(1), (b), (c), or (d) of section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, for each violation.
(b)Attending an Animal Fighting Venture.—
Whoever violates subsection (a)(2)(A) of section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2156) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both, for each violation.
(c)Causing an Individual Who Has Not Attained the Age of 16 To Attend an Animal Fighting Venture.—
Whoever violates subsection (a)(2)(B) of section 26 (7 U.S.C. 2156) of the Animal Welfare Act shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both, for each violation.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 26 of the Animal Welfare Act, referred to in text, is section 2156 of Title 7, Agriculture. Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical
Amendments
to this section. The
Amendments
by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–334 substituted “(d)” for “(e)”. 2014—Pub. L. 113–79 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, substituted “subsection (a)(1),” for “subsection (a),”, and added subsecs. (b) and (c). 2008—Pub. L. 110–246, § 14207(b), substituted “5 years” for “3 years”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–334 effective on the date that is one year after Dec. 20, 2018, see section 12616(e) of Pub. L. 115–334, set out as a note under section 2156 of Title 7, Agriculture.
Effective Date
of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 49
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110